1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pedal exercise machine which is constructed such that pedals and arm levers are operated in conjunction with each other, thus enabling a user to exercise all parts of the body—specially, to conduct exercise along a pedal trajectory similar to that when climbing a slope or stairs—and, more particularly, to a pedal exercise machine having an arc trajectory which includes a length adjustment means for adjusting the sizes of trajectories of pedals and arm levers, an angle adjustment means for adjusting the position of the trajectory of the pedals, and a displacement means for adjusting the angle of the pedals relative to the ground in conjunction with the length adjustment means, thus enabling a user to exercise desired parts of the body, thereby obtaining various exercise effects.
2. Description of the Related Art
To date, exercise machines having various trajectories have been disclosed.
Representative examples of exercise machines having vertical (or slightly inclined) linear exercise trajectories were proposed in Korean Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 20-2000-0000468 (publication date: Jan. 15, 2000), which was entitled “LOWER BODY EXERCISE MACHINE”, and in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0277771 (registration date: Feb. 28, 2002), which was entitled “ROCK CLIMBING EXERCISE MACHINE”.
An exercise machine having a forward-backward trajectory or a trajectory similar to that when jogging was proposed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0385412 (registration date: May 20, 2005), which was filed by the applicant of the present invention and is entitled “ELLIPTICAL EXERCISE MACHINE”.
Furthermore, an elliptical exercise machine, which enables exercise along an asymmetrical elliptical trajectory, was proposed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0499232 (registration date: Jun. 24, 2005), which was entitled “ELLIPTICAL”.
In addition, other elliptical exercise machines were proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,676 (COMPACT CROSS TRAINER EXERCISE APPARATUS), U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,021 (ELLIPTICAL TRAINER), U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,710 (ELLIPTICAL EXERCISE DEVICE AND ARM LINKAGE) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,638 (PACE-ADJUSTING MECHANISM OF AN ELLIPTICAL CROSS TRAINER).
Particularly, a technique was proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 2009/0011904 (ELLIPTICAL EXERCISE DEVICE), which provides a longitudinal and horizontal arc trajectory and enables a user to exercise all parts of the body using pedals and hand grips which are operated in conjunction with each other.
As exercise machines having various exercise trajectories have been developed and improved, the applicant of the present invention proposes a further improved exercise machine, particularly, one having an exercise trajectory similar to that when a person climbs a slope or stairs.
In particular, the applicant of the present invention proposes a pedal exercise machine having an arc trajectory which is constructed such that trajectories of pedals and lever arms are adjustable, the positions of the trajectories of the pedals and lever arms are adjustable, and the angle of the pedals relative to the ground is adjustable, thus providing various exercise effects.